# What is the Opposite of Irony? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 11, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156 "2012-01-11T13:24:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/21 "2012-01-11T18:56:12Z")
Sincere. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Dord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@The\_Dord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dord)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/22 "2012-01-11T22:40:58Z")
Obvious? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/23 "2012-01-11T23:09:36Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > If I sign up at the gym and hire a personal trainer, and his name is Flabby McPotbelly, that would be ironic. But if my trainer’s name is Bufftastic McRipped, that would be… ? “Serendipity” is one word that comes to mind, but I don’t think it entirely fits. At any rate, this sort of thing certainly happens, where a person has a name that’s oddly appropriate, or oddly inappropriate, to their occupation. [Strangely appropriate names](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=36384) [Fun with doctors’ names](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=515830) [Athletes with the most appropriate names](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=480403) [You couldn’t make this stuff up!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=612284) ---
**Author:** ![Isaacedwardleibowitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecb155/32.png) [@Isaacedwardleibowitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isaacedwardleibowitz)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/24 "2012-01-11T23:51:17Z")
Sincerity. Earnestness. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/25 "2012-01-12T02:47:09Z")
In this case, I’d vote for apropos. It does a better job at drawing attention to the name-job connection than anything else I can think of. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/26 "2012-01-12T04:09:46Z")
\Ironic\ ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/27 "2012-01-12T04:10:50Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > If I sign up at the gym and hire a personal trainer, and his name is Flabby McPotbelly, that would be ironic. But if my trainer’s name is Bufftastic McRipped, that would be… ? Apposite. ---
**Author:** ![kevinnash123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/85f322/32.png) [@kevinnash123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevinnash123)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/28 "2012-01-12T10:31:24Z")
It may be “Kismet” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/29 "2012-01-12T15:59:57Z")
Morissettey. ---
**Author:** ![TerpBE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc8723/32.png) [@TerpBE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TerpBE)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/30 "2012-01-12T16:59:21Z")
Sunny weather on your wedding day? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/31 "2012-01-12T17:50:13Z")
Oh look, here’s a knife. How opportune. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/32 "2012-01-12T21:56:50Z")
[Yclept](http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-ycl1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/33 "2012-01-12T23:58:49Z")
Goldy? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/34 "2012-01-13T00:40:16Z")
> [@Isaacedwardleibowitz](#): > > Sincerity. Earnestness. Yes ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/35 "2012-01-13T01:12:16Z")
I’ve heard the too-cute word [aptronym](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptronym) used in this situation. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/36 "2012-01-13T01:18:42Z")
Ynori ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/37 "2012-01-13T01:24:02Z")
[Black Adder] Goldy and silvery[/BA] 😃 D&R ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/38 "2012-01-13T01:28:52Z")
> [@Isaacedwardleibowitz](#): > > Sincerity… This applies if we assume that an ironic remark is necessarily _insincere_, but that’s not really the point of irony, is it? Deliberate irony is a technique to draw attention to something, rather than an attempt to deceive or be evasive In this light, _straightforward_, or _direct_, would be closer, I would say, because a deliberately ironic statement is simply one that you aren’t supposed to take at face value, rather than one you are not supposed to believe. ---
**Author:** ![Themenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Themenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themenin)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/39 "2012-01-13T07:53:23Z")
Ironically the opposite of irony is still irony - irony is all encompassing. For example, see Major Major. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Word\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e68b1a/32.png) [@John\_Word\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Word_Smith)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2017, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156/40 "2017-11-16T06:19:47Z")
Apologies for being a necro, just found this thread while searching for the answer to this question and thought there were a few interesting suggestions worth responding to. Kismet, while an interesting word and somewhat relevant, is basically like ‘fate’; if something is destined than it lacks that humorous connotation and quality that I think we need in a pair for the word ‘irony’. I’m assuming here that the desired out come is not a complete opposite, as that would just be something plain, but a mirror with similar connotations; something that deliberately emphasises a similarity in an intriguing way or describes the observation of some curious coincidence. As such, I wonder if the most accurate antonym for irony would simply be ‘coincidence’; even then it doesn’t quite have much impact in conversation. Yclept caught my eye but I don’t think the definition really fits; it is more like an archaic synonym for ‘named’, which is hardly the opposite of ‘irony’. Cool word, but it doesn’t suit. Fitting is quite good; it’s what came to mind at first. I think it’s probably best as it requires the least explanation and it’s route as being adapted from a verb(-ing noun) tells a bit of a story rather than just observing the coincidence in question. With use it may become readily understood the same way ‘irony’ is; I think the issue here is that ‘irony’ stands apart for a particular purpose whereas most words that are antonyms to it have more banal uses that render them ineffective for comparatively poignant(which may not be a bad idea itself) emphasis. For this reason I’m definitely considering apropus; would need to explain it to most people but that lends the benefit of it seeming ‘purposed’ for the role. Unfortunately doesn’t seem to have an adjective form, unless you count ‘appropriately’, which I think is important as ‘ironic’ is used as much if not more as ‘irony’. Anyway, apparently the modern use of ‘irony’ stems from a stock character of Greek theatre yclept ‘Eiron’, who as a comic opposed ‘Alazon’. So I might start saying ‘Alazonic’ instead of any of the above answers(or just Alzonic), to coin a specific word for the usage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-opposite-of-irony/609156.md?page=3)